Fun measuring cup serves up entertaining facts

Do you know how the volume of a T. rex’s brain stacks up to that of a human brain? I do (roughly 225 milliliters compared with 1,150 ml), thanks to my Equal Measure measuring cup from Fred’s quirky kitchen line. It’s easy to engage your kids in the kitchen when you can show them that you can fit more than a million grains of sugar in half a cup. The measuring cup is available at amazon.com for $10.28.

— Donica Kaneshiro

Toothbrush and paste unite in nifty travel-friendly gadget

This PopBrush is the greatest product around. It’s a travel-size toothbrush, complete with toothpaste, that fits in your pocket, and it’s made in the USA. Use the cap to extend the grip, then pinch the handle to squeeze out toothpaste from a hole beneath the bristles. It’s sold at Walgreens, Longs, Foodland and Kmart for $1.99 to $2.49.

— Tom Coyne, Honolulu

Handmade belts make style a cinch

These modern obi-style belts made by Christy Chung of ccdoodle in Honolulu are so versatile — I can wear them many ways. The belts bring fashion elegance to your waist and accent any solid-colored dress or tunic. Most are made of beautiful vintage fabrics found in Hawaii and are limited or one-of-a-kind.

I like to shop at Chung’s online store, www.ccdoodle.etsy.com, which offers free tying instructions, but I have seen ccdoodle belts at Therapy Boutique at Kahala Mall and Super Citizen downtown at 22 S. Pauahi St. The belts, $19 to $68, are very reasonable for a handmade product. I’m always keeping an eye out for more as she adds new belts and accessories to her online shop.

— Andrea Girard, Hawaii Kai

Bear serves as sleek gadget dock

I was browsing through my friend’s Instagram photo-sharing app when I came across a photo of the Medicom Be@rbrick iPod/iPhone dock and speaker system that held her iPhone. It was a gift from her boyfriend, who purchased it at The Human Imagination (1154 Nuuanu Ave., 538-8898) in Chinatown. It’s a contemporary, funk-tional and fun statement piece for home or desk and would make a good gift for toy collectors or anyone who appreciates music. It retails for $170 and is available in white or black. Visit www.in4mants.com/hi/new-arrivals/nuuanu-medicom.

— Tobey Ishii, Waipahu

Track your ride with TheBus’ GPS tool

I’ve used this space before to extol the convenience and affordability of TheBus, but recently found even more reason to jump on board: HEA (Honolulu Estimated Arrival), which provides real-time information using GPS technology. It’s been available for a while but most transit riders I’ve come across aren’t aware of it. Just use your smartphone to visit hea.thebus.org, or go to the TheBus’ homepage and look for the “HEA Real-Time Bus Arrival” box on the left. Enter the stop number (it’s posted on a yellow sign at most stops, or type in the location to get the number). You’ll know to the minute when your bus is coming, with updates every two minutes to adjust for traffic and other delays. It means no more wondering whether you’ve missed your bus or how long you’ll have to wait for the next one. And you can perfectly time your exit from home or work.

— Christie Wilson